Lockbox imaging system

ABSTRACT

A system and method for imaging and capturing information from checks and documents contained in a lockbox remittance. A computer workstation is used to generate and print a header sheet that includes information identifying the check. The header sheet is appended to the front of the documents and the document are imaged using a scanner. Identifying information from each of the documents is used to create a data record for each document. In parallel to the scanning of the documents, the checks are scanned and images are created for each of the checks. Additionally, identifying information from each of the checks (e.g., the check number, the amount, etc.) is manually input into a database, thus creating a data record for each check. Once all of the data entry and scanning has been completed, an automatic association process takes place in which the check data records, the check images, the document data records and the document images are all automatically associated and cross-referenced such that the system recreates an electronic version of the original batch of physical papers. All of the associated data and images are contained in a database, from which all of the information for a lockbox customer can be electronically retrieved over the Internet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 60/133,577, filed on May 11, 1999, entitledDOCULINK IMAGING SYSTEM.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and systems for imagingdocuments and providing access to such images and more particularly tomethods and systems for imaging checks and other documents associatedwith lockbox processing operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lockbox processing is employed by entities that receive a large numberof negotiable instruments, for example checks, and other documentsassociated with the negotiable instruments such as invoices. An exampleof an entity that makes use of lockbox processing would be a telephonecompany that mails out hundreds of thousands if not millions of invoicesand receives payment on the invoices from its customers via checks. Suchentities typically outsource such lockbox processing to a financialinstitution which is able to directly process the negotiable instruments(i.e., the checks). Typically, these business entities have one or moreaccounts with the financial institution into which the proceeds from thechecks are deposited and thereafter available for use by the businessentity.

It has been recognized both by the financial institution and thebusiness entities that it is desirable to provide timely informationregarding the checks (or receipts) received in a lockbox to the businessentity. Such information consists of particular data related to thecheck, for example, the remitter name, check number, bank number,routing number, payment amount, etc. This information is typicallygathered and stored in a computer database for rapid retrieval buy or onbehalf of the business entity.

Storage of the information in a computer database is typicallyaccomplished by entering the desired data related to the checks and intoan index file containing fields. The index files are then appropriatelyaddressed and cross cataloged such that they may be retrieved on commandand the information contained therein presented to the business entity.

In addition to the data associated with a check, it has been founddesirable to also provide an actual image of the check for use by thebusiness entity. Typically, the informational data associated with thecheck and the image of the check are cross referenced such that the dataand the check image can be simultaneously retrieved and reviewed. Suchcheck imaging capability is well known in the art.

Some prior art systems have attempted to image the checks and thedocuments received in an envelope in a lockbox processing center. Onesuch system placed the check and its associated documents on a conveyerbelt type arrangement for imaging. Such a system is not suitable for ahigh volume lock box processing center since the checks must again beseparately processed by the conventional financial processing systems.The redundancies therefore induced by this prior art system are notacceptable for any high volume processing center.

Although financial service providers have been able to provide customerswith the ability to search the databases containing the index and imagefiles of the financial instruments (i.e., the checks), it is notpossible heretofore to provide data and images with respect to the otherdocuments associated with the checks such as the invoice submitted withthe check.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the presentinvention provides a system and method for imaging and capturinginformation from the documents remitted with a check in a lockboxremitted envelope and associating the document images and data with theimage and data of the check itself.

A lockbox remittance typically contains an envelope, a check and one ormore documents associated with the check. A typical document associatedwith a check is an invoice that was provided by the business to theremitter, who then includes the invoice and check in the envelope formailing. As the envelope is received by the lockbox processing center,it is opened and the check, the envelope and any documents includedtherewith are retained together as a group. Several groups of checks andassociated documents are processed together as a batch.

An operator uses a computer workstation to generate a header sheet thatincludes the lockbox batch number, the lockbox owner (the businessentity), the check number and optionally, the amount of the check. In apreferred embodiment, the header sheet includes a bar code containingall of the above information. Once the header sheet has been printed,the check and its associated documents can be separated. The headersheet is appended to the front of the document or stack of documentscomprising the batch and each of the documents in the batch, includingthe header sheet, is imaged and the images are stored in a on an imagefile server. Either before or after the documents are scanned,identifying information from each of the documents (e.g., the invoicenumber on the document) is manually input into a database, thus creatinga data record for each document. In parallel to the scanning of thedocuments, the checks are scanned and images are created for each of thechecks. Additionally, identifying information from each of the checks(e.g., the check number, the amount, etc.) is manually input into adatabase, thus creating a data record for each check.

Once all of the data entry and scanning has been completed, anassociation process takes place in which the check data records, thecheck images, the document data records and the document images for eachgroup are all associated and cross-referenced such that the system hasnow recreated an electronic version of the original group of physicalpapers. All of the associated data and images are contained in a memory,from which all of the information for a lockbox customer can beretrieved.

The present invention envisions several ways in which the lockboxcustomer may receive its information. In a first embodiment, all thecheck and document images and check and document data are burned onto aCompact Disk Read only Memory (CD-ROM) which is then sent to thecustomer. The customer has the appropriate software to enable it tosearch, sort, view and print any of the information as it desires. In asecond embodiment, all of the customer data is formatted into a bulkfile and transmitted electronically to the customer over the Internet,by a private network, or through a dial-up connection. In a thirdembodiment, the customer information is stored on permanent storage onthe system and the customer logs onto the system and selectively search,sort, retrieve, view and print the information electronically over theInternet.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the invention which refers tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

For the purposes of illustrating the present invention, there is shownin the drawings a form which is presently preferred, it being understoodhowever, that the invention is not limited to the precise form shown bythe drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the system of the present invention including theflow of data therethrough;

FIG. 2 depicts a header sheet for scanning documents; and

FIG. 3 illustrates the association of data records and images.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the system of the present invention as well as theflow of data through the system and to customers. Incoming groups ofchecks and their associated documents 102 are received and manuallyopened by an operator. Each group consists of at least one check 105 andat least one document 110 associated with the check. The documents 110typically consist of an invoice reflecting the amount due pursuant towhich the check 105 was issued, an envelope, and other documentsassociated with the payment reflected in the check 105. Several of thegroups 102 of checks and documents are processed together as a batch100.

Before the check 105 and documents 110 are physically separated as agroup 102, the operator uses workstation 115 to generate a header page120 that is subsequently used to identify the images of the documents110. A sample header page 120 is depicted in FIG. 2. In order togenerate the header page 120, the operator enters the lockbox number 400for the customer associated with the batch 100 and the number 410 of thecheck 105 contained in the particular batch 100 being processed. Thesystem automatically assigns a control number 405 to the batch 100.Optionally, the operator can enter the amount 415 of the check. Once thedata has been entered into workstation 115, the workstation 115 printsout the header sheet 120 containing the document information. In apreferred embodiment, the header sheet also contains a bar code 420 thatcontains the above described information that uniquely describes thebatch 100 being processed. In an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention, a two dimensional bar code is used on the header sheet 120.This alternative bar code is organized in a two dimensional matrix andis able to contain twice as much information as the one dimensional barcode 420 illustrated in FIG. 2.

Returning to FIG. 1, the header sheet 120 is placed in front of thestack of documents 110 associated with the group 102 being processed.This process is repeated for each incoming group 102 within the batch100. The header sheets 120 for each of the groups 102 functionally serveto act as a divider between the stacks of documents 110 contained in thedifferent groups 102 within a batch 100. Once the information forgenerating the header sheet 120 has been entered as described above, andthe header sheets have been printed (or the data saved for subsequentprinting) the checks 105 may be separated from their associateddocuments 110 and sent to the check processing portion of the system ofthe present invention as further described below.

When the stack of documents 110 separated by header sheets 120 for eachof the groups 102 have been assembled, they are ready for scanning usingan optical scanner 125. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, scanner 125 is a high speed scanner such as those availablefrom Bell & Howell™. The output of scanner 125 are image filesrepresentative of the header page 120 and the documents 110. The imagefiles are stored on the image file server 140 in the Document Capturememory 130. After the scanning process has been completed and the imagesof the documents 110 and header pages 120 are stored on the image fileserver 140, processor 180 performs a bar code recognition process on thescanned images. This bar code recognition process reads and recognizesthe bar code 420 (see FIG. 2) contained on the header sheet 120. The barcode 420 is preferred as opposed to plain text information printed onthe header sheet 120, since a convention Optical Character Recognitionprocess is not as accurate a the preferred bar code recognition process.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the customer whoutilizes the lockbox processing service of the present inventionimprints a bar code on the each of the documents 110 that it sends toits customers (for eventual remittance back to the system of the presentinvention). The inclusion of the such a bar code on each of thedocuments 110 would greatly speed the association process as furtherdescribed below. When such a bar code is imprinted on the documents 110,processor 180 is able to read and recognize each document 110, therebyobviating the need for any data entry with respect to the documents (asdescribed below). Naturally, any documents that originated from theremitter (e.g., a letter) would not have such a bar code imprintedthereon and thus require the full processing of the system of thepresent invention as described herein.

As the images of the stack of papers is being processed by processor180, once the processor 180 recognizes and reads the batch informationfrom a header sheet 120, the logic in the processor 180 is programmed to“know” that the images of the sheets following the header sheets aredocuments 110 representing a group 102. The batch information from therecognized header sheet 120 is temporarily stored by processor 180. Asan image of a document 110 is processed, processor 180 uses the storedthe batch information (from the header sheet 120) to generate a uniquekey that is appended to the image. The key is subsequently used, asdescribed below, to identify the images during the process ofassociating all the data records and images for a group 102. In apreferred embodiment, the images are stored in a Tagged Image FileFormat (TIFF) on the image file server 140. Alternatively, the image canbe stored in other formats such as JPEG or GIF. The processing of theimages continues until the processor 180 recognizes the header sheet 120for the next group 102 contained in the stack of papers being scanned.At that point, the just described process is repeated for the header 120and documents 110 representing the next group 102.

If the processor 180 properly reads the bar code 420 from the headersheet 120 and generates and appends the key to each of the images forall the documents 110 in a group 102, the image of the header sheet 120is discarded. If the processor 180 cannot properly read the bar code 420from the header 120, the image of the header sheet 120 and the images ofthe subsequent documents 110 are temporarily stored on the image fileserver 140. After the scanning process is complete for all of the papersin the stack, (or alternatively during real time during the scanningprocess) an operator of workstation 150 is notified that some of theimages have not been identified and is prompted to repair the images.The unidentified image of a header sheet 120 is displayed on the screenof the workstation 150 for viewing by the operator. The operator is thenable to view the text of the lockbox number 400, control number 405 andcheck number on the image of the header sheet 120 (see FIG. 2). Usingthis information, the operator is able to manually repair the header 120information. Once repaired, the document capture system 130 is then ableto key each of the images of the documents 110 associated with thepreviously unreadable image of the header sheet 120.

In parallel with the above described scanning process of documents 110,the checks 105 from each of the groups 102 are processed. Checks 105 areprocessed similar to the processing of documents 110. Workstation 145 isused to capture the data from each check 105 for inclusion in database170 in the check capture memory 165. In a preferred embodiment, database170 is an Oracle™ database. A data record is generated in database 170for each check 105. In a preferred embodiment, workstation 150 includesa Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) reader which reads the MICRline contained on a check 105. In addition to capturing the data fromthe check, each check 105 is imaged using scanner 155. The check imagesare then stored on an image file server 175 and the check images arelinked to their respective check data record in database 170.

Workstation 160 is used by an operator to manually input data from eachdocument 110. As with the check data, a separate data record isgenerated for each document 110 and is included in database 170. Thedata captured from each document 110 includes for example, the invoicenumber contained on the document 110. The documents 110 are availablefor processing at workstation 160 either before or after they have beenscanned by scanner 125 into the document capture system 130. There is nopreferred order of scanning and manual data entry. The scanning ofdocuments 110 can occur first or the data entry from documents 110 canoccur first. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, theworkstation 160 is coupled to the document capture memory 130, and thedata from documents 110 is inputted into database 135.

In addition to the bar code recognition process and image keying processdescribed above, processor 180 is further used to import the check anddocument data and the check images from the check capture memory 165into the document capture memory 130 so that the all of the data records(both check and document) and images (checks) for each group 102 can beassociated and cross referenced. In performing this operation, processor180 continuously parses the directories of the check capture memory 165in order to detect any new or updated files. If such files are detected,processor 180 imports the files from check capture memory 165 intodocument capture memory 130.

Once the data records (both check and documents) and images (checks)have been retrieved from the check capture memory 165 and stored in thedocument capture memory 130, an association process takes place. Thisassociation process ensures that the check data, the document data, thecheck images, and each of the document images are all properlyassociated. Proper association means that all of the data and imagesreflect a group 102 as it was received by the system.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the association process. Theassociation process is for the most part automatic. The check datarecords 500 and the check images 525 have already been properlyassociated (link 550) by the check capture system 165. The document datarecords 505–515 are automatically linked to each other and the checkdata records 500 using standard database techniques (see links 555–565).The linkage between data records 500 and 505–515 can be accomplished forexample through the use of a common data field (e.g., check number).

If there is only a single document in the group 102 or if there is asingle data record 505–515 for several documents in a group, the entireprocess is automatic. In this single document or single data recordexample, the files that are imported from check capture system 165include a check data record 500, a check image 525 and a document 1 datarecord 505. During the association process, the document capture system130 searches the image database 140 (see FIG. 1) for documents that havea key corresponding to the check number (or batch number or checkamount) reflected in check data record 500. During this search system130 will only find the document image(s) 530 with a key 535 thatmatches. Accordingly, system 130 knows that document 1 data record 505has to correspond to the document 1 image(s) 530 and creates the logicalconnection 570. In this manner the check data record 500, the checkimage 525, the document 1 data record 505 and the document 1 image 530are all logically associated and the association process is complete.

A difficulty occurs when there is more than one document 110 containedin a group 102 that generate more than one document data record 505–515.In the particular example depicted in FIG. 3, when system 130 issearching for document images with keys corresponding to check datarecord 500, it will find three document images 530, 535 and 540. Thesystem could directly associate the document images 530, 535 and 540with the check data record 500, but no one would know which of thedocument data records 505, 510, 515 correspond to which of the documentimages 530, 535 and 540. For example document 1 might be the first pageof an invoice, document 2 is the second page of the invoice and thethird document is the third page of the invoice. The three document datarecord each correspond respectively to one of the three pages of theinvoice and the three document images 530, 535 and 540 are images of thethree pages, but system 130 has no means of properly automaticallyassociating the correct data record with the correct image.

In order to solve this problem, system 130 presents an operator atworkstation with a screen containing both the unmatched document datarecords 505 and thumbnail prints of the unmatched document images 530,535 and 540. The user is then able to select the thumbnail of a documentimage 530, 535 and 540 in order to enlarge it. Viewing the full sizerendering of the document image 530, 535 and 540, the user is then ableto manually associate the document image 530, 535 and 540 with theproper document data record 505–515. This process is repeated for eachdocument image 530, 535 and 540 and document data record 505–515 untilthe operator has manually created the logical links 570, 575 and 580. Inthe alternative embodiment described above, if each of the documentshave a bar code imprinted thereon, the data

Returning to FIG. 1, the document capture memory 130 maintains theassociated data records and images for all batches 100 for a period ofpreferably 60 to 90 days, depending on the amount of storage containedin document capture memory 130. Periodically, the data and images storedin memory 130 are transmitted using server 180 to a permanent archive250. The associated data records and images are organized according tolockbox customers. The system is able to deliver the data records andimages to the customer in a number of ways. In a first embodiment of thepresent invention, workstation 200 is used to retrieve all of the dataand images with respect to a particular customer and place these recordsand images on a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) using a CD-ROMwriting device 205. Once “burned” with all of the data and images for acustomer, the CD-ROM thus generated is shipped via conventional means(U.S. mail, Federal Express™, etc.) to a customer for display on acustomer workstation 210. The generation of such a CD-ROM can occur asoften as desired by a customer such as on a daily, weekly or monthlybasis.

In a second alternative delivery method according to the presentinvention, workstation 215 is used to create a bulk electronic file ofall of the data and images for a customer. This bulk file is preferableencrypted for security purposes and transmitted to the customer over thepublic Internet 220. In another alternative embodiment, this bulk filecan be transmitted to the customer using a private network (e.g., ValueAdded network (VAN)) or other dial up connection between workstation 215and the customer system 210.

In another alternative method of allowing a customer access to its dataand images, the user connects to archive 250 through the public Internet220. The connection process provides for adequate security andauthentication of a user as well know to those skilled in the art. Usingstandard browsing techniques, the customer is able to search for,retrieve, sort, download and print data records and images desired bythe customer.

Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

1. A lockbox processing method comprising the steps of: receiving acheck and at least one document associated the check, the check and atleast one document forming a group, the check having a check numberassociated therewith; generating identifying information, theidentifying information containing at least the check number; opticallyscanning at least one document to generate a document image; associatingthe document image with the identifying information; optically scanningthe check to generate a check image; generating a check data recordcontaining at least the check number; generating a document data recordcontaining document information that identifies at least one document;and logically associating the check data record, the document datarecord, the check image and the document image; wherein the step ofgenerating the identifying information further comprises the steps of:encoding the identifying information into a bar code; printing the barcode on a header sheet; optically scanning the header sheet to generatea header sheet image; and performing a bar code recognition process onthe header sheet image to recognize the identifying information.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the step of associating the document imagewith the identifying information further comprises the steps of: usingthe identifying information to generate a key; and appending the key tothe document image.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step oflogically associating the check data record, the document data record,the check image and the document image is automatic.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising the step of providing a customer with accessto the check data records, the document data records, the check imagesand the document images associated with the customer.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein there are a plurality of documents associated with thecheck, the method further comprising the steps of: optically scanningthe plurality of documents to generate a plurality of document images;associating the plurality of document images with the identifyinginformation; generating a document data record for each of the pluralitydocuments; and logically associating the check data record, the documentdata records, the check image and the document images.
 6. A lockboxprocessing method comprising the steps of: receiving a check and atleast one document associated with the check, the check and the at leastone document forming a batch, the check having a check number associatedtherewith; generating a header sheet containing identifying information,the identifying information containing the check number; opticallyscanning the header sheet and the document to generate an image of thedocument, denoted as a document image, and to generate an image of theheader sheet, denoted as a header sheet image; performing opticalcharacter recognition on the header sheet image to thereby recognize theidentifying information; generating a key using the recognizedidentification identifying information; associating the key with thedocument image; optically scanning the check to generate an image of thecheck, denoted as a check image; generating a check data recordcontaining the check number; generating a document data recordcontaining document information that identifies the document; andlogically associating the check data record, the document data record,the check image and the document image.